This invention relates to a docking system for an interactive pager, which docking system is, itself, interactive. In particular, the present invention is directed towards an interactive pager docking system which provides a docking cradle for an interactive two-way packet data pager. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the interactive pager docking system will also include a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The interactive pager docking system of the present invention permits communication between an interactive two-way packet data pager and a plurality of peripheral devices. As such, the interactive pager docking system of the present invention provides messaging, communication, and present location capabilities, especially when equipped with satellite communication and GPS peripherals. The present invention is applicable in certain AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) applications.
Interactive two-way packet data pagers are becoming more common. In essence, the interactive two-way packet data pager can be characterized as a two-way wireless radio communicator having a microprocessor, or a microprocessor having a two-way wireless communication module. In any event, an interactive two-way packet data pager is capable of executing programmed applications, which may be built in or may be user programmed or input from a keyboard which forms an integral part of the interactive two-way packet data pager. Moreover, any interactive two-way packet data pager is capable of sending, receiving, and displaying alphanumeric data.
However, the present invention provides greatly increased functionality for a two-way packet data pager by enabling the interactive two-way packet data pager to function in association with other passive or interactive peripheral equipment such as a satellite communications module, a GPS receiver, printers, bar code readers, and the like. These additional peripheral devices provide additional functionality to the interactive two-way packet data pager, such as by permitting it to determine the present geographic location of the interactive pager docking system through the GPS receiver; or such as to permit the pager to transmit alphanumeric data to a home station even if the pager is out of its packet data network by communicating through a satellite transceiver.
Ordinarily, an interactive two-way packet data pager is equipped with a single serial port for communication with such as a printer. However, in keeping with a provision of the present invention, when the interactive two-way packet data pager is inserted into and held in place in a docking cradle provided therefor, the additional peripheral equipment for the pager is associated therewith through the cradle. Moreover, the docking cradle provides communication port multiplexing, so that additional serial port functionality for the interactive two-way packet data pager is provided.
By providing a serial port multiplexer, it is possible to allow communication from and to the pager and, in any event, from and to the interactive pager docking system, through a peripheral satellite communications transceiver. Still further, the GPS receiver may be connected to the docking cradle either through the serial multiplexer, or through a dedicated communications port.
One feature of the present invention is that, while the interactive two-way packet data pager is secured in its docking cradle, the pager will be able to scan various cradle ports for data, and it will be able to send data or commands to the various peripherals which are connected to the docking cradle.
For example, the interactive two-way packet data pager, through its microprocessor and internal memory, may be programmed to periodically poll the GPS receiver for the present position of the interactive pager docking system. As will be discussed hereafter, this is particularly useful in circumstances when the interactive pager docking system of the present invention is installed in a vehicle. By so doing, a remote dispatch station or AVL centre may be advised of the present location of a vehicle, from which it may also determine the speed and direction in which the vehicle is moving. Indeed, if the pager detects that it is out of range of the packet data network with which it would normally communicate, the interactive pager docking system will re-route messages to and from the pager, and from the GPS receiver, through the peripheral satellite transceiver. Sufficient memory is provided in the pager so that, if necessary, messages to and from the pager to the satellite transceiver may be cued until they are received by or transmitted from the two-way interactive pager.
A further, very important, feature of the present invention is that the docking cradle includes a battery charger module for charging a rechargeable battery with which the interactive two-way packet data pager is provided. The battery charger module is under the control of charging programs and protocols, so that charging of the rechargeable battery will only be initiated, continue, or be terminated, in keeping with predetermined parameters and conditions.
Still further, as will be described in greater detail hereafter, especially when the interactive pager docking system of the present invention is installed in a vehicle, and includes a GPS receiver, if a pager is not in the cradle then power to the GPS receiver - which is being delivered through the cradle from the vehicle battery to the GPS receiver - will be terminated after a predetermined period of time.
Needless to say, the interactive pager docking system of the present invention is such that it will be functional with any interactive two-way packet data pager which is adapted to be fitted into the docking cradle, irrespective of the communication protocols according to which the two-way interactive pager operates. Thus, the interactive pager docking system of the present invention can operate with interactive two-way packet data pagers in virtually any country of the world.
Since the interactive pager docking system of the present invention is primarily, but not exclusively, intended for operation in a mobile vehicle environment, other peripherals which may comprise part of the interactive pager docking system may include high decibel beepers, high brightness lamps, and so on, to catch the attention of a driver or occupant of a vehicle, even in the noisy or otherwise busy environment of a moving vehicle.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a rugged mobile data terminal which may be effectively used in vehicles, at very low costs compared with, say, laptop computers having special communications facilities. However, an ordinary laptop computer would not provide the two-way interactive pager functionality that a pager does. Effectively, an interactive two-way packet data pager is a low cost device providing a built-in packet data modem, a back-lit display, and a xe2x80x9cQWERTYxe2x80x9d keyboard, in a package which is generally no larger than an ordinary pager. Such devices are generally adapted to operate on one AA battery; and, in keeping with the provisions of the present invention, that battery will be a rechargeable battery. Typically, rechargeable batteries are nickel cadmium (NiCd), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), or rechargeable alkaline. It is also possible that such interactive two-way packet data pagers as are particularly contemplated herein may also include a lithium battery.
By providing the interactive pager docking system of the present invention, many different commercial, quasi-Governmental, and Governmental operations are enabled with low cost data communications for local dispatch or vehicle location purposes. For example, fleet operators having cars or trucks which may operate very widely geographically may equip each vehicle with an interactive pager docking system in keeping with the present invention, whereby the vehicle will always be in packet data communication for sending and receiving messages to and from a central dispatch office; as well as being provided with a GPS system so that the central dispatch office may determine at any time upon query, or periodically as may be programmed, exactly where any particular vehicle is located. Other typical operations may include the dispatching and positioning of vehicles in an airport operation; or in a theatre of war under war games conditions, or in hostilities.
The fact that the docking cradle has the ability to connect a plurality of serial devices to the interactive two-way packet data pager, allows for wide area satellite communications, as well as working with a packet data network, along with automatic vehicle location. Moreover, operation of peripheral devices such as a printer or bar code scanner is provided for, under the operation and control of application programs which may be programmed into the interactive pager by way of its microprocessor and/or memory. Thus, the pager, with respect to a vehicle, is both portable and tethered, at low cost especially when compared with the use of such as a laptop computer.
The interactive pager docking system provides, however, for the fact that the pager is not necessarily tethered to a vehicle at any time, and can be removed from the docking cradle so as to follow the operator of the vehicle when he is outside the vehicle. That operator will still have packet data communication available to him to conduct two-way data messaging if he is in communication with the packet data network.
Moreover, when the pager is inserted into the docking cradle, it is thereby tethered to the vehicle for all purposes of communication and AVL.
KRIETER et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,510,778, issued Apr. 23, 1996, discloses a pager receiving system whose purpose is to be integrated as one function of a multi-function electronic card device for insertion into a portable computing devicexe2x80x94a laptop computer, for example. A frequency agile receiver includes a frequency synthesizer for generating a user selectable down conversion frequency that it combined by a mixer to produce a received paging signal at a predetermined intermediate frequency. A driver-less interface multiplexes the received paging signal with the output of a data modem so that the computing device requires only a driver interface for the data modem in order to receive both modem data and paging information. Paging information which is received from the computing device is stored in a format that is determined by the platform of the particular computing device into which the electronic card device has been inserted. A pager receiving caddy is also provided, which can receive the electronic card device when it is not inserted into the laptop computer, so that the electronic card device can continue to receive paging information.
GARRETT, Sr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,285 issued May 7, 1996 teaches a system for monitoring vehicles during a crisis situation. The tracking system which is taught assumes, for example, that a crisis situation might be such as a carjacking. Each vehicle to be monitored includes an on-board apparatus which reports the location of the vehicle during the crisis situation. Communication is automatically initiated with a remote monitoring facility via a cellular telephone network; and, using selected status information, real-time tracking of the vehicle may be initiated. Peripheral devices, including a siren, a strobe lamp, or a circuit to turn off the ignition of the vehicle ignition, may be provided.
BICKLEY et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,403 issued May 21, 1996 teaches a Global Positioning System including a GPS receiver for generating position information, a processor coupled to the GPS receiver by a bus, and a communications multi-interface coupled by the bus to both the GPS receiver and to the processor. The processor presents position information to the communications multi-interface, which is capable of interfacing with a wide variety of communications systems. Among the various purposes for which the GPS communications multi-interface described in the Bickley et al. patent, there are included location reporting pager systems, as well as cellular telephone location systems, remote locator/responder systems, beacon locator systems, and the like.
SPRAGUE et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,661,652 issued Aug. 26, 1997 teaches a mobile network having automatic position reporting between various units in the network, and comprises a plurality of GPS navigation receivers, each having two-way radio data communication for communicating the current computed positions of the individual mobile units to other mobile units in the network, and also to a stationary dispatch controller. Ordinarily, the stationary dispatch controller is connected in by a public switched telephone network. Thus, ordinary telephone personal pager service may be carried out transparently in the network for mobile units that are not equipped with a GPS receiver. The mobile network finds particular utility in such applications as determining the presence at all times of police and/or fire vehicles, as well as such items as parcel pick-up and delivery vehicles, taxis, and the like.
JANKY U.S. Pat. No. 5,786,789 teaches a GPS unit and a cellular telephone unit each having add-on modules for providing additional functionality. A battery powered hand-held GPS unit has a battery module with a built-in cellular telephone. The controls on the GPS are used to control cellular telephone operations, so that the GPS controlled cellular telephone will transmit position location information obtained by the GPS unit. Alternatively, a battery powered hand-held cellular telephone unit may also be equipped with a battery power module having a built-in GPS device; in which case, the controls on the cellular telephone are used to control the GPS device operations. Thus, and in any event, the cellular telephone portion will be able to transmit position location information obtained by the GPS device.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an interactive pager docking system for a pager, where the system comprises an interactive two-way packet data pager and a docking cradle therefor. The interactive two-way packet data pager is a two-way wireless radio communicator having a microprocessor, and is capable of executing a programmed application, and also being capable of sending, receiving, sharing and displaying alphanumeric data. The interactive two-way packet data pager is powered by a rechargeable battery, and has a pair of externally connectible terminals for delivering charging power to the rechargeable battery.
Moreover, the interactive two-way pager has a radio modem for sending and receiving alphanumeric data in packet data format, and has a communication port for sending and receiving alphanumeric data and control signals to and from the docking cradle.
The docking cradle is adapted to physically hold the pager in place, when the pager is inserted into the docking cradle. The docking cradle has a pair of charging terminals for connecting to the externally connectible terminals of the pager, when the pager is being physically held in place in the docking cradle.
The docking cradle has a docking communications port for connecting to the communications port of the pager, when the pager is being physically held in place in the docking cradle.
The docking cradle is connectible to a source of power, and is adapted to provide charging power to the rechargeable battery in the pager under the control of a battery charger module in the docking cradle, when the pager is being physically held in place in the docking cradle. Moreover, the docking cradle includes a communications multiplexer in series with the communication port of the docking cradle, and at least two further external communications ports in series with the multiplexer for connection to external peripheral devices capable of exchanging data and control signals with the docking cradle and the pager through the further communications port.
The communications ports in the pager and in the docking cradle may be RS-232, USB, or Ethernet ports.
Typically, the communication ports of the pager and the docking cradle are RS-232 ports. Moreover, the interactive pager docking system of the present invention may further comprise a GPS receiver in communication with the docking cradle through a communications port provided in the docking cradle therefor.
In that case, the GPS receiver may communicate with the docking cradle through one of at least two further communications ports which are in series with the multiplexer. Alternatively, the GPS receiver may communicate with the docking cradle through a dedicated RS-232 port provided therefor.
In a usual, but not exclusive, embodiment of the present invention, the docking cradle is adapted to be connected to a source of 12 volts DC power so that it may be mounted in a vehicle.
The physical structure of the docking cradle is such that it will include spring means so as to provide a spring resistance against which the pager is physically held in place, and thereby so as to maintain a shock-proof and vibration-proof connection between the externally connectible terminals of the pager and the pair of charger terminals of the docking cradle, and also between the communications port of the pager and the docking communications port of the docking cradle.
External devices to which the docking cradle of the interactive pager docking system of the present invention may be connected, may include any of a GPS receiver, a satellite transceiver, a printer, a bar code scanner, an alarm annunciator, or combinations thereof.
The interactive two-way packet data pager has a xe2x80x9cQWERTYxe2x80x9d keyboard for inputting alphanumeric dataxe2x80x94and instructionsxe2x80x94to the pager.
Particularly when the communications ports of the pager and the docking cradle are RS-232 ports, one of the further external communications ports in the docking cradle may be connected to a satellite transceiver. Thus, data may be sent from and received by the pager through the docking cradle.
Moreover, data and control signal translation modules may be included in the docking cradle so as to provide translation between and among the pager and the external peripheral devices that are connected to the docking cradle through the communications ports.
The pair of charger terminals in the docking cradle may be physically located with the docking communications port. If so, there are at least two communications terminals provided for purposes of sending and receiving data and control signals to and from the pager. However, one of the pair of charger terminals and one of the at least two communications terminals, may be a common terminal.
Sensing means may be provided in the docking cradle so as to determine the presence of a pager in the docking cradle. Also, the docking cradle may include a power module to provide power to the GPS receiver. If so, the power module may further include a timer which acts to shut off power to the GPS receiver when the sensing means senses that the pager has not been in the docking cradle for a predetermine period of time.
Particularly when the docking cradle of the interactive pager docking system of the present invention is adapted to be connected to a source of 12 volts DC power, so that it is mounted in a vehicle, the interactive pager docking system may further comprise a GPS receiver in communication with the docking cradle through a communications port provided therefor. Sensing means are provided to determine the presence of the pager in the docking cradle and, as noted above, the docking cradle may include a power module to provide power to the GPS receiver. If so, and when the power module further includes a timer which acts to shut off power to the GPS receiver when the sensing means senses that the pager has not been in the docking cradle for a predetermined period of time, then after that predetermined period of time, power will not be drawn from a vehicle battery to which the interactive pager docking system has been connected.
The battery charger module in the docking cradle of the present invention may be adapted to detect the terminal voltage of the rechargeable battery in the pager, so as to initiate a charging operation when predetermined terminal voltage conditions of the rechargeable battery exist. Moreover, the battery charger module may further include temperature sensing means to determine the internal temperature of the rechargeable battery, and to discontinue the charging operation when predetermined internal temperature conditions of the rechargeable battery exist.
Indeed, as will also be noted hereafter, the battery charger module may include temperature sensing means which may also function to determine the ambient temperature in which the interactive pager docking system is operating, so that a charging operating may be precluded or terminated if ambient temperature conditions outside predetermined ambient temperature conditions exist.
Still further, the charging operation may be discontinued after a predetermined period of time, also in keeping with instructions from timer means in the battery charger module.
The docking cradle may include lamp means for indicating the status of a charging operation, under the control of the battery charger module. Those lamp means may also function to indicate the presence of incoming data to the pager, under the control of the microprocessor in the pager.